THE CENSUS OF 1861. 11 



COUNTIES FROM WHICH RETURNS WERE RECEIVED. 



Births. Deaths. Nat. Increase. 



1851 4.688 1.738 2.960 



1852 '. 4. 827 1.118 3.049 



1854 4.411 2.007 2.404 



1855 4.269 2.037 2.232 



1856 4.496 1.758 2.738 



1857 4.256 1.698 2.558 



Average 4-491 1.836 2-655 



QUEBEC AND MONTREAL, INCLUDING COUNTIES. 



Births. Deaths. Nat. Increase* 



1851 5.023 3.566 1.457 



1852 5.168 3.219 1.951 



1854 5.435 5.442 



1855 5.080 3.234 1.846 



1856 '. 4.920 3.054 1.866 



1857 5.066 3.086 1.980 



Average 5.115 3.600 1.515 



ALL LOWER CANADA — assuming the Counties and Parishes from which 

 there are no returns to have the same average rates as other Counties. 



Births. Deaths. Nat. Increase 



1851 i 4.736 2.004 2.732 



1852 4.877 1.988 2.889 



1854 4.560 2.507 2.053 



1855 4.395 2.223 2.172 



1856 4.562 1.959 2.603 



1857 4.382 1.713 2.469 



Average 4.585 2.099 2.486 



It will be observed that the rate of natural increase, as deduced 

 from 1861, is quite within the limits of the variations in this respect 

 in different years. But making every allowance for the imperfection 

 of the returns of 1861 the smaller rate for both births and deaths in 

 that year is very remarkable. As I before observed, the deaths 

 naturally rise and fall with the births, from the great mortality in 

 infancy, but this nearly constant decrease of births since 1851, seems 

 to point to a large emigration of persons in the prime of life. Never- 

 theless the rate of increase is very high as compared with other 

 nations, and it is confirmed by the growth of the French population 

 from 1852 to 1861, and during the much longer period since the 

 conquest. 



